[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 183 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55267-55269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7832]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2006-25842]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for 
Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request 
described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for an extension of a currently approved information collection. We 
published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period 
on this information collection on June 26, 2006. We are required to 
publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by October 23, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20503, Attention DOT Desk 
Officer. You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information 
collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary 
for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; 
(3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity 
of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be 
minimized, including the use of electronic technology, without reducing 
the quality of the collected information. All comments should include 
the Docket number FHWA-2006-25842.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning the Truck 
Parking Initiatives Grant Program, please contact William F. Mahorney, 
Office of Freight Management and Operations, HOFM-1, (202) 366-6817, 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, 
20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Truck Parking Initiative.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0610.

Background

    The shortage of long-term truck parking on the National Highway 
System (NHS) is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is nationally 
recognized that truck drivers frequently cannot find adequate, safe 
parking in order to obtain rest needed to comply with the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations and ensure safety. Further, parking areas 
are often designed or maintained for short-term parking only, and as a 
result, allow parking for limited time periods. Section 1305 of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) directed the Secretary of Transportation 
to establish a Pilot program to address the long-term parking shortages 
along the NHS. Eligible projects under Section 1305 include:
    1. Promoting the real-time dissemination of publicly or privately 
provided commercial motor vehicle parking availability on the NHS using 
ITS and other means;
    2. Opening non-traditional facilities to commercial motor vehicle 
parking, including inspection and weigh stations, and park and ride 
facilities;
    3. Making capital improvements to public commercial motor vehicle 
parking facilities currently closed on a seasonal basis to allow the 
facilities to remain open year round;
    4. Constructing turnouts along the NHS to facilitate commercial 
motor vehicle access to parking facilities, and/or improving the 
geometric design of interchanges to improve access to commercial motor 
vehicle parking facilities;
    5. Constructing commercial motor vehicle parking facilities 
adjacent to commercial truck stops and travel plazas;
    6. Constructing safety rest areas that include parking for 
commercial motor vehicles.
    It is the belief of FHWA that given the limited resources 
available, the broad dissemination of the availability of public or 
private long-term parking spaces provides the greatest opportunity to 
maximize the effectiveness of this pilot program.

Guidelines and Administration

    To administer this program for fiscal years 2006 through 2009, the 
FHWA will collect information necessary to evaluate and rank projects. 
The information collection is intended to only address the project 
funding allotted through the program.
    1. The Administrator has determined that $5.385 million is 
available for grants in FY 2006 under Section 1305, after obligation 
limitations.
    2. Projects funded under this section shall be treated as projects 
on a Federal-Aid System under Chapter 1 of Title 23, U.S. Code.
    3. Grants may be funded at an 80 to 100 percent funding level based 
on the criteria specified in Section 120 of Title 23, U.S. Code.
    As soon as practicable, a Federal Register Notice will be published 
with information and guidance relating to the application process. 
Also, a solicitation letter will be sent to all FHWA Division Offices 
containing the same information. This information will also be posted 
on the FHWA Web site, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/. All applications must 
be submitted through a State Department of Transportation to FHWA's 
Office of Freight Management and Operations, via the FHWA Division 
Office in the State in which the application was submitted. Awarded 
projects will be administered by the applicable State Department of 
Transportation as a Federal-aid grant.

Information Proposed for Collection

    Information recommended under SAFETEA-LU and proposed for the 
current program includes the following:
    1. Project Description. The proposal should include a detailed 
project description, which would include the extent of the long-term 
truck parking shortage in the corridor/area to be addressed, along with 
contact

[[Page 55268]]

information for the project's primary point of contact, and whether 
funds are being requested under 120 U.S. Code (b) or (c) of Title 23. 
Data helping to define the shortage may include truck volume (Average 
Daily Truck Traffic--ADTT) in the corridor to be addressed, current 
number of long-term commercial motor vehicle parking spaces, 
utilization of current long-term parking spaces, driver surveys, 
observational field studies, proximity to freight loading/unloading 
facilities, proximity to the NHS, etc.
    2. Project Rationale. The proposal should set forth the rationale 
for the project and should include an analysis and demonstration of how 
the proposed project will positively affect truck parking, safety, 
traffic congestion, or air quality in the identified corridor. Examples 
may include: advance information on availability of parking that may 
help to reduce the number of trucks parked on roadsides and increase 
the utilization of available truck parking spaces, etc.
    3. Scope of work. The scope of work should include a complete 
listing of activities to be funded through the grant; including 
technology development, information processing, information integration 
activities, developmental phase activities (planning, feasibility 
analysis, environmental review, engineering or design work, and other 
activities), construction, reconstruction, acquisition of real property 
(including land related to the project and improvements to land), 
environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of 
equipment, and operational improvements. Also to be included should be 
a 3-year performance measurement plan that continues beyond the 
demonstration period of the project.
    4. Stakeholder identification. Stakeholder identification should 
include evidence of prior consultation and/or partnership with affected 
MPOs, local governments, community groups, private providers of 
commercial motor vehicle parking, and motorist and trucking 
organizations. It should include a listing of all public and private 
partners, and the role each will play in the execution of the project. 
Consultation examples may include: Memorandums of Agreement, 
Memorandums of Understanding, contracts, meeting minutes, letters of 
support/commitment, documentation in a State's TIPS/STIPS plans, etc.
    5. Cost estimate. Applicants should provide a detailed 
quantification of eligible project costs by activity, an identification 
of all funding sources that will supplement the grant and be necessary 
to fully fund the project, and the anticipated dates on which the 
additional funds are to be made available. Public and private sources 
of funds (non-federal commitment) will be considered by FHWA as an in-
kind match contributing to the project. State matching funds will be 
required for projects eligible under 120 U.S. Code (b).
    6. Timeline. Applicants should also submit a timeline that includes 
work to be completed and anticipated funding cycles. Gantt charts are 
preferred.
    7. Environmental process. Applicants should show the timeline for 
complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if 
applicable.
    8. Project map. Applicants should include a project map consisting 
of schematic illustrations depicting the project and connecting 
transportation infrastructure.
    9. Proposals should not exceed 20 pages in length.

Burden Hours for Information Collection

    Frequency: Annual.
    Respondents: The 50 State DOTs and Puerto Rico and the District of 
Columbia.
    Estimated Average Burden per response: Burden hours estimates and 
discussions are provided for each item presented and required within 
the application submittal process.
<bullet> Project Description 16 hours.
    <bullet> The project description will be submitted through the 
submitting State agency, in conjunction with local governments, MPOs, 
and other potential partners.
<bullet> Project Rationale 8 hours.
    <bullet> Project rationale should include an analysis and 
demonstration of how the proposed project will positively effect truck 
parking, safety, traffic congestion, or air quality in the identified 
corridor.
    <bullet> Scope of Work 6 hours.
    <bullet> A complete listing of activities to be funded through the 
grant including technology development, information processing, 
information integration activities, developmental phase activities 
(planning, feasibility analysis, environmental review, engineering or 
design work, and other activities), construction, reconstruction, 
acquisition of real property (including land related to the project and 
improvements to land), environmental mitigation, construction 
contingencies, acquisition of equipment, operational improvements, and 
a 3-year performance measurement plan that continues beyond the 
demonstration period of the project.
<bullet> Stakeholder Identification 1 hour.
    <bullet> Evidence of prior consultation and/or partnership with 
affected MPOs, local governments, community groups, private providers 
of commercial motor vehicle parking, and motorist and trucking 
organizations. A listing of all public and private partners, and the 
role each will play in the execution of the project should also be 
included.
<bullet> Cost estimate 4 hours.
    <bullet> A detailed quantification of eligible project costs by 
activity, and an identification of all funding sources that will 
supplement the grant and be necessary to fully fund the project, and 
the anticipated dates on which the additional funds are to be made 
available. Public and private sources of funds (non-federal commitment) 
will be considered. State matching funds will be required for projects 
eligible under 120 U.S. Code (b).
<bullet> Project Timeline 1 hour 30 minutes.
    <bullet> Includes work to be completed and anticipated funding 
cycles; Gantt charts preferred.
<bullet> Environmental process 2 hours.
    <bullet> Applicant should show the timeline for complying with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if applicable.
<bullet> Project Map 1 hour.
<bullet> Consisting of schematic illustrations depicting the project 
and connecting transportation infrastructure.
<bullet> Contact information for the State DOT, Local Agency, or MPO 
(if applicable), FHWA Division Office 5 minutes.
    <bullet> This requires providing a list of contacts and involves a 
nominal amount of time.
    The total amount of time estimated to complete the application is 
39 hours and 35 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1187 total burden hours. It is 
estimated 30 applications will be processed annually.
    Electronic Access: Internet users may access all comments received 
by the U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, by using the universal resource 
locator (URL): http://dms.dot.gov, 24 hours each day, 365 days each 
year. Please follow the instructions online for more information and 
help.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.


[[Page 55269]]


    Issued on: September 15, 2006.
James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 06-7832 Filed 9-20-06; 8:45 am]
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